As The Fur Flies, Part 1
by Stephen R Sobotka
Summary: A Gargoyles / Rescue Rangers crossover. Life goes on as normal for Elisa and the Clan, until Demona gets the most evil idea to deal with the detective once and for all! Now, Elisa has a BIG problem to deal with! New Edits & Content 2012!


"AS THE FUR FLIES - PART ONE"

A Gargoyles / Rescue Rangers tale  
written by Stephen R. Sobotka / 2003 (Edits - 2012)

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**DISCLAIMER :** _This is a fan-fiction story, based on characters and situations from Disney's animated TV series "Gargoyles" And "Chip and Dale's Rescue Rangers". This has been written solely for other fans of the show to enjoy, not to gain profit for the author. All characters, with exception of one's I created are ™ and © of Buena Vista Television and Walt Disney Entertainment, and are used without their knowledge. The plot and original story are my own creation._

_Please don't sue, since this was done as a tribute to the spirit of the original shows._

**AUTHOR'S NOTES :** _Greetings all! I felt a bit nostalgic for some of my prior works, and seeing how my current projects have stalled I decided to go back over and give a couple of my older stories a bit of a revamp. This was one of my "Tales of the Crossover King" (as I had called myself years ago) and is one of my all-time favorite premises of cross-overs._

_Of course, I couldn't have done this without everyone back at the 2003 Gathering of the Gargoyles for encouraging me to write this tale. As well, all of the folks on the Acorn Cafe BBS for their support and encouragement. A special thanks to Chris Fisher for helping me realize Elisa Maza's new "form", by drawing it for me way back when._

_So with that said, Enjoy the story! - SRS_

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**"As The Fur Flies..."**

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_~ The Eyrie Building, Manhattan NY, Before Sunset... ~_

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It began as any other evening for Elisa.

When the doors to the master elevator opened, she was greeted with a view of the main 'hub', branching out into the separate sections of the castle... which was currently occupied by Owen Burnett - looking very out of sorts - who was trying to keep a squirming Alexander Xanatos inside the reinforced seat of his stroller. All around the blond major-domo lay the scattered remnants of what had once been a carefully packed day bag; snacks, extra clothing, etc all littered the marble floor.

"Good grief," Elisa said, more to herself than to Owen. "What happened? Did Alex learn some new spells or something?"

Looking up, Owen's placid face was only broken by the pinched skin between the bridge of his nose and his forehead. "Actually, Master Alex has become quite adept at... emptying things in record time. When you have your back turned."

Suppressing a laugh, Elisa stooped down to pick up some of the wayward things. "Here, let me give you a hand with these," she offered, hoping that Owen wouldn't take too much offense to her harmless pun. She glanced briefly at his right hand; still trapped in a state that left it frozen in stone.

"I appreciate the help, Detective," Owen replied, deftly repacking what few items he had in reach. "I would assume that you are here to visit the gargoyles?"

Elisa nodded, handing over the items she'd retrieved. "Well, I have an early shift tonight, but I have some time to see the guys when they wake up."

Nodding, Owen finished repacking the bag he had been carrying. "Very well. Mr. and Mrs. Xanatos are out for the evening, and I was planning to take Alexander for a short walk before dinner time." He stood up, casting a short glance down at his young charge - who was giggling at him from his stroller seat - before adding, "Though it seems the best laid plans..."

"Say no more," Elisa smirked. "I think my mother said as much about my and my sibs when we were his age." She stood and gave Alex a short wink, before saying, "Better behave yourself, kiddo."

Alexander just giggled innocently, as if to say "What? Me cause trouble?".

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_~ A Safe house, Somewhere in Queens NY, Early Morning... ~_

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Demona pounded her head against the aged-wood surface of the desk, just before dragging her talons through the oak paneling in ragged frustration.

"Gods! I've been at this all night," she muttered hoarsely. "Why can't I find a solution?" Blinking bleary eyes, she turned her head back to stare at the old clock on the nearby wall, only to confirm what she had just said; the hour was late... closer to dawn than she'd realized, in fact.

Groaning, she turned away and faced the small bookcase that dominated the far wall of this place: one of her smaller, lesser-known apartment holdings in the upper end of Queens.

"If I thought I could rest and start this over with a fresh mind I would," she scowled, her face a mix of fatigue and grim determination. Pushing herself upright, she cast another stare at the bookcase. "Only, if I had saved some of my more rudimentary spell books and arcane stores, instead of all these lesser collections here... blast me!" Her eyes flared red. "I should have had copies of my more powerful books made and stored here!"

Getting up, she smacked her fist against her open hand. "I have but two things to meet to solve my most vexing problem: get rid of that blasted detective, and assert control of Goliath and his misguided clan," With a sweep of her wings, she stalked towards the bookcase and angrily slapped several volumes in worn leather and cloth bindings to the floor. "But nothing HERE can help me! To do that, I must have a powerful spell, or something to give me an edge!" she nearly screamed.

Starting to stalk away, Demona's foot caught against a crumpled page. Looking down, she pulled back to kick the offending paper away, only to pause when her eyes caught the bold, colored text at the top of the page.

"Hmm?" Curious, she crouched down to pluck the paper from the floor, to find it was still attached to a small, black leather-bound book. Turning it over and over, she finally found a small line of letters engraved its spine... after reading them, a quick, poisonous smile crawled across her lips. "Yes," she hissed, standing up. "Yes... this is, promising!" Quickly flipping back to the original page she had spied, she traced the words written there, her eyes lighting up with malicious glee. "Yes! This is... delicious! Why I never thought to do something like this before, I-!" Stopping, she closed the book with a snap. "I don't dare waste anymore time. I have preparations to make!"

With that, she moved to place the book on a nearby table, before turning towards the single window inside the small room. Opening the shutters, she poked her head out and grinned. "Still time before dawn! And with a day to prepare..." She chuckled, fixing her eyes towards the sight of the far-off Eyrie Building. "Enjoy your day, Detective Maza. By nightfall, it will be your last!" With that, she pulled herself onto the sill and launched skyward, sailing out into the darkness.

Back on the table, the small book seemed to wait patiently in a pool of lamplight. On it's spine, the engraved letters caught the light, spelling out the word:

_**TRANSMOGRIFICATION.**_

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_~ Central Park, The Following Night, Near Midnight... ~_

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The last punk flopped bonelessly against the other three, all stacked like cord wood against the low stone fence. Moaning senselessly, he didn't react when a blue-grey skinned gargoyle beast sniffed him for several moments, just before huffing in a manner that seemed to proclaim his disgust for the mugger and his fellows.

Crouched next to him, the brawny, purple form of Goliath reached over to give the beast a scratch behind the ears. "Good work, Bronx... these ruffians will harm no more innocents this night." Turning, he took in the other two gargoyles standing nearby. "You two did fine work, as well."

The one - crimson, white haired with a beaked face - smiled and nodded at his leader. "Good thing they weren't as armed as most muggers," Brooklyn stated gravely. "As it stands, they could have taken more than just a few purses tonight."

The other - slim, brown-haired and colored much like Goliath was - added grimly, "Just as well they didn't... or they'd be facing a different sort of justice."

Brooklyn and Goliath both shot a look at one another: concern and worry in their eyes. "Be that as it may, Angela, these four are better to meet justice at the hands of the human's laws."

Sighing, Angela replied, "Sorry, father. I shouldn't be so... cold, but it seems we keep fighting criminals, and yet we never seem to make any headway in getting the ones we save to accept us."

Brooklyn sighed and offered, "Hey, some humans do accept us."

"Brooklyn is right," Goliath added. "We can count on a few of humanity as our friends."

"But not all of humanity, father," Angela sighed. "I mean, I just don't see how we are going to change the minds of an entire race?"

Goliath rose up and sighed. "Angela, alone, one cannot change the course of an entire river... but, through our actions, we can help to change the minds of all humans. One person at a time."

Just then, the approach of footsteps alerted the gargoyles to a pair of new arrivals. They nearly turned to bolt for the shadows, but relaxed when the interlopers turned out to be Elisa and her partner; a tall, auburn-haired detective named Matt Bluestone.

"Elisa!" Goliath said in a relieved tone.

"What, you were expecting the tooth fairy?" Elisa quipped. When Goliath didn't reply, she added with a tolerant grin, "Old joke."

Her partner had stepped over to check on the four thugs on the ground. He crouched on his heels briefly, then stuck his hands in his trechcoat pockets as he rose up. Whistling low, he murmured, "Knocked them around a bit, didn't you?"

Brooklyn chuckled mirthlessly. "They didn't give us much of a chance to talk them out of beating our brains in."

Elisa nodded. "Still, we're going to have to account for their bruises somehow." She gave Goliath a smile. "Nice work, though. Will be a good thing to book these bozos and put them away."

"We live to protect and serve, as you do," Goliath said, returning Elisa's smile with one of his own. "And we have more patrols to do, before this night is over."

"Just leave this bunch with us then, guys," Matt stated, reaching for his handcuffs. "We'll make sure they get back to the precinct."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Brooklyn said. "I hate carrying around extra baggage. C'mon, Bronx." With that, he reached down to pick up the guardian beast, turning to go with Angela towards the nearest high point.

Goliath turned to Elisa. "Will you meet us at dawn?"

Sighing, Elisa replied, "I'd love to, but can't. We've got some extra work to finish, so it's going to be straight home after my shift is over." She added quickly, "But, I'll be there before sunset tomorrow night."

Goliath nodded. "Very well. Until then, Elisa." With that, he turned to join the others, leaving the two detectives alone with the unconscious thugs.

Matt spoke up, reaching for his spare set of cuffs. "Detective Maza, methinks you and the big guy-."

"Button it, Bluestone," Elisa said, although in a good natured tone. "Keep out of my private life."

Matt held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Okay, Okay! My mistake!"

With a satisfied nod, Elisa reached for her own handcuffs. "Just remember that in the future... oh, and by the way, you're carrying these perps back to the car."

Matt looked off behind them, a stricken look filling his face. "That's a six block hike!"

Elisa cracked a grin. "Exactly."

With an exasperated groan, Matt fixed his partner with a pointed stare. "Lady, you can be so downright evil at times!"

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_~ Elisa's Brownstone Apartment, Manhattan, Later That Night... ~_

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Elisa sighed, climbing the last of the steps leading to the floor where her apartment sat on the top floor. Craning her neck to relieve the tension, she muttered, "What a night! Six more muggers, a break-in and a new flair-up among the gangland goons..."

Fumbling to unlock her door, Elisa slipped inside her apartment, pausing only briefly to pick up a pile of mail from the floor just inside. Making her way down towards the main living area, she idly sorted the collection of envelopes before placing them on the shelf next to her bookcase. With a half-stifled yawn, she took off her jacket and unbuckled her shoulder holster and gun. "Geez... am I glad this night's almost over."

"Maow?"

With a smile, she set her gun and holster on the shelf and turned to face the approaching owner of that meow; her pet cat, Cagney. "Hey, boy, You miss me?" she said softly, reaching down to rub her fingers against his ears, making him give a welcoming purr as he moved to rub against her legs. Reaching down to scoop Cagney up into her arms, she smiled as the cat purred all the more, obviously happy to see her again. "Well, I can't stay too long. I need to get over to the castle before sunrise." She saw the reproachful look in Cagney's eyes, and chuckled. "But, I think I can spare a few minutes to get you fed first."

"Mao!" Cagney yowled with affirmation.

Giving him a soft laugh, Elisa turned towards the kitchen. "Come on. I think we've got an unopened can of tuna in the fridge for you."

She'd barely gone three steps, when Cagney suddenly jerked in her arms, a spittle-laced hiss coming from his mouth. Elisa turned in alarm, letting go of the cat out of sheer reflex. The moment Cagney hit the floor, the smoke-grey cat turned away from Elisa and arched into full-threat mode; hissing towards the direction of her living room.

"Who's there!?" Elisa asked, just before she spied a shadowy form looming in the dark space between her sofa and the wall. It only took a second for her to recognize it, before a voice hissed menacingly, "Feeding your worthless pet will be the LEAST of your worries, Detective!"

"Demona!"

The only answer she got was a pair of red-hot eyes, casting a ruby glow over a wickedly leering face.

"I don't know what you're thinking, coming here like this but-!" Elisa acted on pure gut-instinct and turned towards her bookshelf to get her service pistol, when Demona started to chant with a quick, hate-filled voice:

_"Human-born, you shall be no more!  
A Change for you is what's in store!  
From highest height to the lowest least  
Now Become a tiny, pitiful beast!"_

As the last word fell from Demona's lips, a sudden heat enveloped the dusky-skinned detective, accompanied by a wave of dizziness that made Elisa feel as if Demona had banished gravity, only leave her swinging in a black void. Then a rush of hot, blinding pain swept all over her body making her cry out.

The instant the pain passed, Elisa found herself laying flat on a hard surface and apparently trapped in what felt like a large, chambray bag... an impossibly LARGE, loose bag that seemed to cover the entire span of the apartment.

What the Heck? Working frantically, Elisa struggled to find an opening, feeling stifled under the weight of the heavy fabric. Eventually, she found the neck of the sack and burst out into the open. Her sigh of relief turned to a gasp, when she saw that the sack had been joined by a black shiny mountain and a plain of indigo blue. "Good grief! What did you do to my house, Demona!"

A booming chuckle made her nearly leap out of her skin, just as a massive, azure hand swept down from out of nowhere to wrap around her fuzzy body, effectively trapping her arms and legs...Fuzzy!? Elisa's mind just flip-flopped when that fact registered. looking around frantically, the detective suddenly noticed two things: one, she WAS covered in fuzzy, caramel-tan fur, and two the massive hand was slowly lifting her up higher, to the point she could now identify the massive mountain and plain below her...

They were the rumpled forms of her leather jacket and T-shirt, her denim jeans and her work shoes!

"Surprised, Detective?" Demona's voice literally roared from behind her.

Twisting her head around, Elisa got the third shock of her night at the sight of Demona - now a virtual GIANT - looming over her with a look of pure malice.

"It only occurred to me just the other night," Demona chuckled, bringing Elisa up to her eye-level. "I've been using schemes that were far too grand to get my revenge on you and Goliath. So, I decided to use something very simple... almost too simple!" With a laugh she started to move, causing the air to whip around Elisa's head as she swung her towards something. "After all, if I can't destroy you as a human, why not destroy you after you've been turned into something smaller!"

When Demona's fist came to a halt, Elisa blinked and looked away from the gigantic gargoyle to find herself in front of a large, shiny oval; the mirror on her apartment wall. Elisa could make out the massive reflection of Demona, larger than life itself, which was holding a very small, caramel colored squirrel in her fist.

"Oh, no..." Elisa muttered in fright, and in the reflection, the squirrels lips chattered rapidly.

"Frightened?" Demona asked, all mock-sweetness in her tone. "Good. It's been a dream of mine to see you quivering with fear. Though I will admit, I'd never expected to see it come like this!" With a laugh, she shook her fist, rattling Elisa's tiny bones like dice in a cup. "Now, my only question is, just how to dispose of you?"

With that last word, Demona thrust the finger of her free hand into Elisa's face. Even as afraid as Elisa was, the instincts of her transformed body took over... and the next thing she knew, the world was a blur whipping by her as Demona flung her away after receiving the mother of all squirrel bites on the fleshy part of her finger! The next feeling Elisa experienced was the hard smack of her tiny form hitting one of the walls of her apartment.

"Damn you!" Demona snarled, clasping her nipped finger to her before glaring in Elisa's direction. "I should just crush you and get it over with!"

Ears ringing - and not just from Demona's threat - Elisa was surprised as to how quickly her new body could recover as scrambled to her feet, eyes darting about for a way to escape. She caught sight of Cagney, perched on top of the kitchen island. Nope! That wasn't her idea of escape! When she caught sight of the reflection on the open doors of her bay window. Again, the instincts of her squirrel body kicked in, sending her darting away from the approaching gargoyle.

Blinking, Demona paused in mid-step, taken completely by surprise as Elisa scampered towards the open window. "Arrgh! Come back here!" she growled, turning to chase the transformed detective through the window, out onto the ledge outside.

On the cold stones, Elisa had come to a stop against the edge, her claws barely holding her in place as she stared out into the monstrous chasm that was the space leading down to the street, stories below. About to back away, she turned just in time to see Demona crouched on the ledge behind her; blocking any way back into the apartment.

"No where to go, little rodent!" Demona chuckled, flexing her bit finger. "I almost wish you could talk, just so I could tell Goliath your last words..." With that, she started to reach towards Elisa, a gleam of malice in her red eyes.

At the mention of Goliath, Elisa felt her temper flare... no way was she going to let Demona get the better of them. Not like this! "Not likely, Demona!" she said - though it came out like a cross chitter - before she wheeled around to face the plunging gap.

Before Demona could react, she watched in surprise as Elisa balled herself up and flung her tiny, furry body into the air. "No! You idiotic human!" Her arm reached out to grab, but her talons snapped on empty air as the Detective flew beyond her reach. With a snarl, Demona belly-flopped on the ledge, staring down with rage as Elisa plummeted towards the street, some-twenty stories below.

However, Elisa's new form had one more surprise in store, as a pair of skins flipped out from her sides, forming a pair of gliding surfaces between both of Elisa's arms and legs. With the momentum of her fall as a boost, Elisa soared away into the darkness of the city night.

"No! Blast it... NO! I was THIS CLOSE!" Demona screeched, slamming her fist against the side of the ledge; crumpling a brick into pebbles. Boosting herself of of her belly, she crouched on the ledge and swept her eyes from side to side, scanning the buildings across the way. It was fruitless, as Elisa's tiny form had vanished completely from view. Snarling, Demona scraped her claws against the brick work under her hands, before she turned back and climbed back into Elisa's apartment. "Now what do I do?" she asked herself. "That blasted human is beyond my reach. No doubt she'll attempt to find Goliath and get him to help reverse my spell."

From somewhere inside the apartment, the yowl of a cat got her attention. Snarling, she spied Elisa's pet where it was crouched on a shelf nearby... where the glint of something metallic lay; the Detective's service pistol.

At that, a look of supreme malice filled her face. "Of course. Goliath will never help her... IF he believes her to already be dead, or at least under my control!" Stepping across the living room, she snorted in Cagney's direction. That sent the cat scurrying off in fear. Moving towards the pile of crumpled clothing that Elisa formerly wore, she dug through them and pulled out Elisa's detective's badge, before she turned and scooped up the pistol from the shelf. Turning the badge over between her talons, she chuckled to herself. "Perfect! With these as my proof, and a little... exaggeration in the telling, I'll have Goliath more than willing

"Perfect! I present these to Goliath, and tell him a little exaggerated story..." Laughing, she tucked the two objects in the waistband of her loincloth and stalked back to the window. "Perhaps this night is not such a loss, after all." Stepping up to the ledge, she maneuvered herself out onto the ledge, spread her wings and launched herself into the air...

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While Demona was absconding with her prizes to launch a new facet of her plans, outside in the shadow of a stone gargoyle-statue - resting on the corner of a rooftop several stories below the brownstone's height - Elisa was crouched in a small gap between the statue's two wings. She'd heard the scream of frustration Demona had made, and it caused her squirrel-body's instincts to kick in. Nearly curled into a ball, quivering in fright, Elisa waited for several moments for the sound of Demona coming to find her.

When it became clear that her winged foe wasn't coming, Elisa slowly peered out from her hiding place and tried to reign in her racing emotions. "Oh, geez! This can't be happening... just can't!" Swallowing, she mastered her fear and turned her eyes down to gaze at her furry body and tiny, clawed hands. With a moan, she shook her head. "It is, though," she muttered. "Man, I'd be in serious trouble, if I hadn't witnessed things like King Arthur, Oberon and all the other weird things I've seen." She started to crawl out from behind the statue, but a bit of movement to her left made her jump in alarm... only to realize she only saw the fleeting reflection of herself in an apartment window. Pausing, she turned to stare at her reflection, taking in all of the changes her body had taken. The fur was tan from her throat, down her front and to both tiny feet, while the rest was a light rusty-brown. Her 'wings', flaps of skin stretched between her arms and legs, were thin yet strong, and bore similar fur, just as her wide, curling tail did, arched behind her back. The odd thing she noticed was that she still had her dark, long hair - now sized to fit her current dimensions - through which a pair of tiny, pointed ears peeked through.

"Well," she mused, turning with her arms out to let her wing-skins catch the air, "I know how Lex feels now... Lexington! Oh man, Goliath and the others will never believe this happened!" A sudden thought came to her, as she let her arms drop before bringing both hands to her fuzzy face in alarm. "Oh, no! The Gargoyles! Demona would certainly use this to get control over them! I've got to get to the castle and warn them, somehow!" Looking up and behind her, she could see the Eyrie Building in the distance. She groaned, realizing the now-sheer distance between her and that far-off destination. "Geez! It might as we be a million miles away!"

Her heart dropped for a moment, but she quickly got a grip on herself. "Stop it, Elisa! Turned into a squirrel, or not I can't give up before I've even started!" Steeling herself, she turned towards the edge of the stone ledge, pausing only when she looked down... and for the second time that night, she felt the part of her that was still human freeze herself in place. Oh maaan! This is not natural! she told herself. I'm used to flying in Goliath's arms, not on my own!

As she wrestled with herself, a change in the light in the skies made her look back up again. Eyes growing wide with alarm, she moaned. "Oh no, it's almost DAWN! Goliath and the others will be asleep soon!" Turning about, she looked in nearly every direction at once. "What do I do now? Where do I go?"

A tiny but firm voice in her head spoke up: _Stop it, Maza! You're NYPD, and a Detective! You've faced monsters, magic and worse than this before. You know what Demona can and will do with a chance to put one over on Goliath and the Clan. So, stop right now and focus!_

Elisa shook the panic off and calmed down. Taking a deep breath, she let it out and said, "Right, focus Maza. You've got to get to the Clan before Demona." She turned back and set herself on all four paws, gripping the stonework beneath her. "So... get on with it." Steeling herself, she crouched down briefly, then she launched herself back into the air again. Flinging all four limbs outwards, Elisa prayed; Oh-man-oh-MAN! This little body better have enough squirrelly instinct left to fly-?!

With a flick, the wing-skins between her arms and legs snapped out, catching the air and lifting her up from her downward plunge. With a yelp, Elisa felt herself drift upwards on a gust of warmth, leveling off as she swooped across the distance between the buildings looming around her. "OooooooOH!" She squealed, but the fear in that sound soon turned to a different tone as she began to get the hang of gliding with her new-found 'wings'. Suddenly, the idea of gliding without the benefit of Goliath began to take a new turn, as she soared down towards the streets below.

Eventually, she made a safe - and rather passable, for only her second attempt - landing on a mailbox on the street below. Without pausing, she darted down from the metal container to the sidewalk, before scampering to a alleyway to hide from anyone who might have been walking nearby.

Peering back out, she looked up at the height from where she'd just launched herself, and realized the gravity of what'd she'd just accomplished. "Man!" she said in awe, "I've got to remember to tell the Big Guy all about this!"

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_~ The Eyrie Building, Manhattan NY, Before Sunrise... ~_

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At that moment, as the clan began to gather on the parapets for their daytime slumber, Goliath looked off towards the brightening sky towards the east, then back towards the entrance doors of the castle in the courtyard below.

A worried expression framed his face... mirrored by the same emotion in his heart. Elisa... where are you?

As they approached their usual places, both Hudson and Brooklyn looked up at their leader; both noticing his composure. "Lad," Hudson called up somberly, "I'm certain th' lass is all right."

Brooklyn added, "Yeah, I mean, Elisa would never disappear on us, at least not without saying where she's gone."

Sighing, Goliath nodded once. "Still, it is not like her not to leave us with some word, before sunrise."

Lexington, Broadway, Angela and Bronx joined them just then. Bronx moved to Hudson's side, whining softly as he butted his head against the old soldier's leg.

Angela's tone echoed the guardian beast's own. "What if something did happen to Elisa?"

"Ach, we canna go on worryin' like this," Hudson said with a nod. "Elisa is a stout lass. She's been lookin' after herself, long before th' likes of us came along."

"Hudson's right," Broadway seconded. "Elisa can handle herself on the streets."

Goliath nodded, though he didn't voice his private fear: of Elisa encountering a danger unseen, or unforeseen. "Agreed." he said at last. Taking note of the lightening sky, he motioned to the others. "Come... we must greet the sunrise. We will see tonight if Elisa is well."

With that, the clan moved to their usual posts. Bronx was a bit slow, since he suddenly turned and started barking loudly, sending a flurry of pigeons winging rapidly into the dawning sky.

"Here now! Cut out that racket!" Hudson growled, calling the beast to heel.

Lex had to look over and chuckle as he settled into his place. "Good boy, Bronx! Way to scare off those winged pests!"

Brooklyn sighed. "Leave it to Bronx... he's got a real dislike for those vermin."

"I just hope nothing like rats come up here," Angela said with a gusty sigh of her own. "I saw some in the Labrynth that were disgusting!"

Lex grinned, reaching over to give Bronx a scratch. "Well, if anything furry or feathered comes around, Bronx will chew 'em to pieces. Right boy?"

As Bronx gave an affirmative bark, the sun finally broke over the horizon of the city and sent the clan back into their stony slumber for another day...

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_~ Central Park, Later that Day... ~_

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"BARK! BARK! BARK!"

The white Pomeranian ran out to the end of her leash, snapping and yapping at something that had just dashed under a nearby hedge. Straining and growling, the little dog would have gotten out further, if not for the firm grip her owner had.

"Come, Muffin!" the lady's voice sniffed with authoritative disdain. "Quit chasing the squirrels. We have to finish our walkies!"

With a sharp tug, the owner yanked the Pomeranian back onto the sidewalk; it's claws scrabbling on the concrete as it tried to fight its way back to the now lost prey it had been seeking.

Skittering back against the inner branches of the hedge, Elisa felt her heart hammering inside her tiny chest as she watched both owner and pet quickly fade from view. Heaving a sigh, Elisa collapsed back against the branches around her, raising one paw to her fuzzy chest. "Whew! If I ever get out of this... I'm going to fight for stricter leash laws!"

It had been a harrowing early morning for the newly-transformed detective. She'd managed to make it this far, going under the cover of nearly every fixed, standing object she could find as she made her way towards Xanatos' mountainous skyscraper. It had taken her most of the day, though. Multiple run-in's with stray cats, dogs, and a few close calls with fast-moving vehicles had forced her to use what instincts her squirrel-body provided to keep from getting stepped on or snapped up.

She'd only just gained entry into the park, when the Pom had spied her. Skittering away from the nipping teeth of the salt-and-pepper Pomeranian that had run the length of her leash, Elisa only just managed to dive into the safety the undergrowth.

"One thing's for certain," she told herself aloud, "It's going to take a lot longer to reach the Eyrie Building." She shook her head. "But, I've got to get there before sundown! If I don't, Demona's sure to beat me there. If she hasn't already!"

Getting her breath back, she edged forward to look out through the leaves. When it was apparent that no further dogs (or other large, carnivorous animals) were present, she slowly moved out into view, then made a quick dash along the edge of the path - under the cover of the hedge - in the opposite direction of the lady and her pet!

Pausing at the end of the hedge, she rose up on her hind legs to get a view of the land before her. A wide space of grass - cut across by a couple of sidewalks, and dotted by trees - was all she could see. With the sun overhead in a relatively clear sky, it couldn't be a more perfect day to be in the park...

"Perfect," she sighed, looking down at herself. "If I wasn't small, furry and bite-sized!" Thinking about food at that moment, her new body decided to announce its need for sustenance; with a rather loud rumble from her belly. "Oooo... how can a small stomach sound so loud? I should be at the castle" Elisa had been hoping that she'd make it to Goliath long before she'd have to consider getting food, but now it was apparent that wish wasn't going to be fulfilled.

She sighed, wincing as another rumble bubbled up from inside her. "Well, there's nothing for it. I need to eat." Moving through a clump of tall grass, she was about to turn back towards the trees to find something edible - or at least some shelter - when, her nose began to twitch. Stopping in mid-stride, she sniffed deeply, her nose filling with the unmistakable scents of popped corn and cheddar. "Mm!" She sniffed again, and all at once, her body's instincts turned her completely around. "Mmmmmmm... I'm not big on junk food, but right now anything will do in this pinch!" she said, turning to follow the smell to it's source, keeping low against the grass as she scurried forward.

Eventually, she spied the object that was setting her nose and her stomach a-quiver; an open, half-full bag of cheddar-cheese popcorn, laying in the nook of an oak tree's exposed roots nearby. "Oooo, my diet is going to suffer," she muttered, licking her lips. "But, considering I either eat or starve..." With that she started towards the cellophane bag, her hunger driving her with every step.

She barely got within a few inches of the bag - close enough to have her nose filled with the aroma of slightly-stale cheddar and popcorn oil when she heard a voice literally explode in the air, saying: "Cha-ha-hah_ahaaaaa**EEEEEEEZE!**_"

A sudden flurry from behind her sent Elisa flipping to the side, as she barely avoided the headlong rush of a body three times her size. Charging along like a runaway buffalo in a glass shop, the intruder dove head-first into the popcorn bag... and then all Elisa could hear were the sounds of a set of jaws working noisily to devour every last piece of her former-lifesaving meal. Flabbergasted, Elisa could only stand and stare as the bag quickly shrank down to a large, moving lump, just before the object parted the bag like the opening petals of a flower.

There, standing in the remains of several husks and un-popped corn kernels, was a tall, burly mouse... who sported a red mustache, and wore a light-tan overcoat, old-style flight helmet and goggles, and a two-color scarf around his thick neck! "Ahhhhh, now THAT hit th' spot, a'right!" he said, his voice colored in a thick, Australian accent. "Not as good as a slice of Gouda, but-."

Even though Elisa had been through a lot this past night, her temper finally caught up with her. "Hey, you!"

At the sound of her voice, the mouse looked down and blinked, just before his face split into a mile-wide grin. "Coo, Zippah, lookee what the cat's dragged in! Though, I doubt some fleabag's got the brains t'let some lovely Sheila like you get away," the husky mouse chuckled, grinning at Elisa.

From behind this newcomer, a blur of green and red appeared, materializing into a small, flitting housefly, dressed in a red turtleneck. With a smile, it muttered something at her - though it sounded like a jumble of buzzing, muzzing sounds - before facing the mouse, nodding it's head.

"Well... Look! I was going to eat that popcorn!" Elisa replied, not sure how to take something like this, _Since when do flies and mice talk?_ she asked herself.

"Oh," Monterrey said somberly, realizing what she was telling him. Taking off his cap, he twisted it between his paws while looking very humbled. "Well, dearie... I didn't mean t'deprive you of some grub," he frowned, rubbing the back of his head. "I mean... I just get a whiff o' chaze, an'... well-."

Elisa sighed, before waving one paw at him "Look, just... never mind. Just who are you, anyway?"

With a slight bow, the mouse replaced his cap and stated, "Me name's Monterrey Jack, miss! An' this lil' fella's me chum, Zippah. Who might you be?"

"I'm... Elisa. My name's Elisa." she said. "I'm sorry for yelling at you, but that was the first piece of food I've seen all day, and-."

"Well, Say, I know what we can do, then!" Monterrey said with a smile towards Zipper. "Let us scare up some grub for ya!"

At that, Elisa's tummy rumbled again, making her wrap both hands around her middle. "You'd do that?"

Smiling, Monterrey said, "Sure we can!" He turned and motioned towards another part of the park. "If'n there ain't any place where Ol' Monterrey Jack can't find a mess of eatin's, then there ain't no such place made yet!" With that, he started walking towards one of the more populated sections of the park.

"Wait!" Elisa called out, not sure if this mouse was unaware of the danger, or just plain crazy. "There's people over there!"

Monterrey just chuckled. "'Course there's pahple there! How else do yah expect t'find food in Central Pahk?" He waved her forward. "C'mon!"

Despite her own sense of preservation, Elisa had followed Monterrey and Zipper across the park to one of the cross paths that joined several of the walk ways. There, a small scattering of people milled about, enjoying several activities that were best enjoying on a day like this; jogging, walking, throwing frisbees, etc. ...

But, the chunky mouse had his eyes set on one thing Elisa hadn't thought about; a lone hot dog vendor's cart, seated on the edge of the concrete, just near the grassy patch they were crossing. Finding a hiding spot behind a garbage can nearby, Monterrey grinned and rubbed his paws together. "There, now... that's yer meal ticket, Missy!"

Looking up, Elisa could see the racks of pretzels, chips, and the display of sodas and drinks on top, while the aroma of sizzling franks could be scented, wafting in the afternoon air. Elisa cocked her head, then glanced at the tall mouse skeptically. "Really... and, just how do we get anything from him?" She asked, pointing to the grizzle-faced, heavy-set man with a (mostly) white apron over his jeans and t-shirt.

Adjusting his ball cap over his brow, the vendor sang out to the passing public, exhorting them to pause. "Get yer Hot Dogs! Pretzels! C'mon an' purchase a real, authentic taste o' New York!"

Monterrey chuckled. "Ah, no worries, Missy! I nevah go after vittles wi'out havin' a plan," he said. "If'n ya don't mind doin' a lil' leg-work fer it?"

Elisa shook her head, but she had to smile at Monterrey's enthusiasm. "Well, so long as we don't get put on a bun with mustard-?!"

"That's th' spirit! Now, here's what we'll do, missy..." Leaning down, he whispered into Elisa's ear for several moments, causing her face to go through a series of expressions that reflected her interest, then shock and bewilderment.

"You put a lot of faith in someone you just met!" she exclaimed.

"Well, I'm not th' one with a pair o' wings," the chubby mouse nodded, eying her wing skins. "'Else I'd be doin' that part meself."

Elisa looked down at herself, then sighed. "Isn't there another way?"

"Well, we could hike uptown to the market... but, this is a lot more handy," Monterrey offered, before his face broke into a grin. "Besides, it's gonna be more fun!"

Elisa looked at him with a skeptical eye, then winced as her belly rumbled in protest. "All right, all right," she sighed. "Just don't pull anything foolish, okay?" Not like this is foolish enough, she thought.

"Just think of it as one big adventure! Come on," Monterrey urged, nodding towards Zipper. "Let's get some grub!"

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# # #

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Solly Smalls smiled to another customer as he put the last spoonful of relish on their purchase. "There ya go! One of New York's Finest Kosher Dogs! Enjoy, eh?" The fat man palmed the wad of money left behind by the satisfied customer, whistling brightly as he stuffed it into his metal cash box on top of his cart.

Officer Morgan of the 23rd Precinct stepped up to the hot-dog cart, tipping his hat to the vendor. "Afternoon, Solly! Got any recommendations from the kitchen today?" the dark-skinned beat-cop asked.

"Hey, my recommendation's never change, Officer," Solly replied with a grin. "A Philly-style braut, with a generous helping of sauerkraut."

Morgan nodded. "Just give me my usual... I've got a long beat to walk today."

"Sure thing! A Zen Special - make that one with everything - coming right up!" Solly turned to lift the lid on the cooker, just as a brown blur zipped down from nowhere and slammed it shut. With a look of shock, Solly could only stare as a squirrel gave him a rapid-fire chitter; obviously mad, and definitely not about to just scurry off! "Hey, what is THIS! I ain't cookin' no acorns!" Solly growled. Pulling back, he swung one ham-fist down to knock the squirrel off the cart. Quicker than he could follow, it managed to dart away, leaping into the air as his fist came crashing down onto the lid of the cooker, knocking it askew amid a spray of hot water. "YEOW!" he gasped, as the back splash rained all over his face.

Officer Morgan winced, watching the display. "Ouch."

Reaching up to wipe the hot liquid away, Solly cleared his eyes in time to see the squirrel land on the ground near the small cooler he used to hold cold drinks. Once more, the tiny rodent scolded him with a patter of high-pitched chattering.

"Why you little-!" Without thinking, he aimed a kick at the noisy interloper, only to connect with the heavy cinder block prop he used to hold his cart in place. Another bellow of pain erupted from his lips as he grasped his injured foot, hopping around to try to keep his balance.

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# # #

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While all of this was going on, Monterrey had scrambled up the backside of the hotdog cart, moving quickly to liberate two large pretzels from where the hung on a wire rack. Chuckling to himself, the burly mouse commented, "Nevah knew Ol' Solly as one t'hold his temper down. That Elisa's makin' fer a right-bonza distraction."

Just then, Zipper popped up beside him, gibbering with agitation and pointing behind Monterrey's back.

"Eh? What's got yew in a... CRIKEY!" Looking over his shoulder, Monterrey spied a scene that made him turn as cold as ice; Solly had managed to somehow grab Elisa, and was holding her tight in one gloved fist as if he was about to squeeze her to death.

"Ahah! Got you now, you little peanut-pincher!" Solly scowled as he shook Elisa in his fist. "I'm gonna deal wi' you, real good!"

Monterrey didn't wait to see what Solly had in mind. Dropping the pretzels over the side, he turned and grabbed one of the condiment containers from where it sat nearby. "Hey, Solly! Here's MUSTARD in yer eye!" With cracker-jack aim, he gave the container a big squeeze, sending a trail of yellow mustard arcing towards the big man's face. With a loud SPURT, the sticky liquid plastered itself all over his kisser, making Solly shout again with surprise. Forgetting Elisa, he let got of her and tried to wipe the gook away from his face.

"What, yew don't care for mustard?" Monterrey jibed. "How's about we KETCHUP on an ol' favorite then!" With that, he jumped up and came down on the long metal handle sticking out of a metal tray on the cart. The result sent a large blob of cooked, pickled cabbage and sailing with pinpoint aim towards Solly's face.

"Wha-AWLP!" Solly got a mouthful of sauerkraut as it smacked him right square in the face, forcing himself to gag as he tried to clear his vision once more.

Laughing outright, Monterrey said with glee, "You're lucky I don't PEPPAH you with another round, mate!"

Just then, Elisa - who had managed to avoid getting stepped on by Solly as he danced around under Monterrey's assault - landed on the cart and said, "Don't you think you've done enough! We need to get out of here before he gets really mad!"

Nodding, Monterrey waved her on. "Get goin', 'Lisa! Zippah and I are right behind ya!" That said, he turned and leaped for the ground, landing next to the two pretzels he dropped earlier. As Elisa and Zipper sailed towards the safety of the bushes nearby, he looped one arm through each one and heaved them onto his shoulders. "Best not leave these behind!" he chortled, breaking into a run as he pelted for safety.

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# # #

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A short time later, the pretzels had been reduced to a few short stubs, and Elisa and her two new companions were resting against the base of a tall tree, having thoroughly enjoyed their liberated meal.

"Ahhhh," Monterrey sighed with a grin. "Aside from cheeze, a nice New York pretzel can sure hit the spot!"

Elisa nodded in agreement, giving her tummy a pat. "MMM! They've never tasted as good as before now-." She paused, realizing she was commenting on the times when she used to eat the same type of snack when she was a human.

Monterrey noticed her sudden turn of silence, looking down at her to see Elisa now resting with her arms around her knees, staring off into space. "'Ere? What's got you so glum allaova-sudden?"

"It's... it's nothing," she said at length. Sighing again, Elisa got to her feet and dusted the stray crumbs and salt flecks from her fur. "Look, thanks for the food, Monterrey, but I've got a lot of trouble to deal with right now, and-."

"Trouble?" Monterrey interrupted her, looking at her with wide eyes. "How can some cute lil' Sheila like you be in a peck o' trouble?"

Elisa had started to walk away, stopped, and sighed without turning to face him. "Look... you wouldn't understand, trust me!"

At that, Monterrey crossed his arms over his chest and snorted. "Missy, I've seen an' done a lot of stuff in my time," he said firmly. "There's a lot that I don't understand. Howev'ah, I do know when it sounds like someone's in need of a friend."

At that, Elisa turned to face him. She was about to tell him off, when she saw the look of honest earnest in his eyes. "Oh... okay, look. I know this is going to sound weird, but the truth of it is... I'm not what I appear to be."

Cocking his head, Monterrey quipped, "What, yer some kind of jackrabbit?"

Elisa half-smirked. "Actually, it's weirder than that. I'm... I was, up until last night, a human. A police detective."

Monterrey's eyes grew wide. "Cri-key. That is a bit of a leg-stretchah!" He pointed a finger at her, squaring her up with a hard look. "Missy, either yer as nutty as an oak, or there's a good story t'go along with that statement!"

"Belive me," Elisa replied, "it's one for the record books." She then went on to relate everything that had happened to her - from Demona's spell onward. As she told him every detail, Monterrey's face went through a series of expressions, from disbelief to utter awe. Zipper too seemed to be enthralled by her recounting as well.

By the time she was finished, Elisa had started to feel things were just as hopeless as before. "And, that's where I'm at now... stuck like this, and unless I can get to the castle on top of the Xanatos Building, I'll... I'll never be myself again!" Before she could stop herself, she turned away and put her hands to her face as a wave of despair bubbled up inside her.

Both Monterrey and Zipper looked at each other, before he got to his feet and moved to place a hand on Elisa's shoulder. "Ahh, now look here, 'Lisa," he said soothingly, "I don't think yer situation is that grim."

She turned to look at him over her shoulder. "You... you believe... everything I've said?"

"Darlin', if ye'd done an' told this t'anyone else, they'd have said yer off yer nut. No pun intended, see," he explained, with a weak smile. "But, between me an' me mates, we've seen and done enough strange stuff t'make yer little run-in seem like a cake-walk. Why, me mates an' I have had our fair share of wild adventures." At that, Monterrey's eyes brightened. "Hey, that's it!"

"What?" Elisa asked. "What's it?"

"That's the way t'solve yer problem!" he said excitedly. "Me mates and I can help you t'get to that ol' castle! We're a right crackerjack team o' trouble-shooters, we are!"

Elisa turned to face the chubby mouse, one eyebrow arched in a skeptical curve. "What, you guys are some sort of special hero-team or something?"

Nodding proudly, Monterrey replied, "Sure! They call us the Rescue Rangers!" He grinned at Zipper. "We've gone all over the world... solvin' mysteries, dealin' wi' supernatural spooks and such. We've even stopped a few criminals, too!"

Elisa blinked, then chuckled. "What, someone robbed a piggy bank?" She stopped when she saw how serious Monterrey and Zipper looked after her jibe. "Okay... my bad. So, where are these friends of yours? Do you really think they can help me?"

Taking her by the shoulder, Monterrey nodded with conviction. "'Lisa, when any one of us calls, the rest of the team will come a'runnin' to make things right! Once we tell them yer story, you can count on the Rescue Rangers gettin' th' job done." He pointed off towards the center of the park. "C'mon! We'll get this show on th' road an' have ya in that castle before sundown!" Monterrey said with a roguish wink. "This way to Ranger Headquarters!"

Caught up in his enthusiasm, Elisa followed him as he and Zipper led the way. "I just hope you're right, Monterrey."

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TO BE CONTINUED...


End file.
